Do You
by Froffify
Summary: Sasuke's already past the point of wondering why he wordlessly accepts Naruto's forced company and so resigns himself to indifference. But when Naruto announces something unexpected, he has to re-analyse his feelings... and his priorities. AU, OneShot.


Hey guys! Just a one shot from me to get myself back into the writing zone. It's nothing fantastic, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Leave me love in reviews! :hearts:

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_Do You_  
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Sasuke had been hearing claps of thunder for the full hour gone, rhythmic with the harsh pounding of the heavy rain striking the ground. It was the sound that he found refreshing and relaxing, especially when reading. It amplified his concentration, blocked out all other sounds and distractions, gave him sanctuary within his fantastical world of crime and adventure. But to others it was hated – a hindrance to their daily chores and ritualistic lifestyles. The deep dislike was so diverse among humankind that people were rarely seen out in it. That was why, when he heard two curt thumps at his front door, he could only look at the entrance to his hallway in slight bewilderment as to _who _could tolerate such universally hated weather to simply come visit. Placing his book on the coffee table, he stood from his sofa with a protestant groan from the dark leather and made his way to the front door, distantly wondering if it was something urgent. His musings were soon answered when the door was pulled open to reveal a thoroughly soaked man, looking at him with unsteady eyes through a mop of messy blond tufts.

The sight screamed a definite _no._

Sasuke crossed his arms, allowing his form to lean against the door frame while a short sigh escaped his lips. He should've known. Cerulean orbs lessened slightly when he sent Sasuke a small smile that appeared uncertain - possibly even _apologetic _- for coming without invitation. The Uchiha almost snorted; he'd been coming over uninvited for some months now and hadn't looked the least bit guilty for his intrusion. He doubted that the man even knew the meaning of the word.

The blond shifted slightly, his heel dragging an inch or so along the concrete of his garden path. The movement made no audible noise in the racket of the downpour. Sasuke observed him quietly, waiting for him to speak. Or, at least, to push his way into Sasuke's house whilst whining loudly about his drenched state. But instead, he just stood there like the idiot he was, wearing a shifty smile that made him look more like a child that's been caught doing something wrong than the headstrong man he'd come to know.

Seeing that his guest wasn't going to say anything any time soon, and partially due to his withering patience, Sasuke decided to speak first. "What's up?"

He blinked once, then the smile fell away as his lips turned inward while he chewed on them hesitantly. His eyes dropped downward and watched as his foot shifted again, the toes this time, and the crunching sound of a stone being dragged across the concrete was heard for a split-second before the noise was swallowed by another rumble of thunder. His hands wrung together awkwardly, distractedly, as a single drop fell from the tip of a clump of hair, soon followed by another, and another, and several more after that. Sasuke had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He could never understand why people tried to hide it when something was wrong; it was so painfully obvious that he couldn't grasp at why they stalled before even acknowledging it outright. It was a waste of time, giving them attention for so long before they'd even begin to talk.

Uchiha Sasuke was _not _a people's person.

"Whatever," he said, cutting through the silence and moving to the side as an unspoken invitation. "You'll tell me soon anyway."

He drew away from the open door and walked straight through the hall into the kitchen, taking the kettle from its stand and holding it, lidless, under the running water in the sink while it filled. The contained sound of the water hitting the base of the kettle appeared tame compared to the rain cascading down outside. He felt his ears perk when he heard the door close on the storm, soon followed by a light rustling as the other removed his shoes and jacket. A gentle smirk played about his lips as he turned off the running water, satisfaction bubbling in his stomach at the knowledge that the man was as predictable as he ever was, despite the odd mood he seemed to be in.

His name was Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto, to be exact. A worker at some nightclub who'd practically stumbled into his life a few months back, then decided to loiter for a while. Sasuke had hoped he'd get bored eventually, or get fed up with his frequent insults and go find someone else to pester. But his hopes had all been in vain - he was still here, constantly visiting, constantly talking, and constantly dedicated to giving Sasuke his bothersome company. Not that it was as annoying as it was before…in fact he'd come to enjoy it.

Sasuke paused, furrowing his brows. No, not that. It was more like he expected it. Yes. As much as he disliked company, Naruto's was simply bearable.

He glanced over his shoulder at the blond, who was just seating himself at the circular table in the centre of his kitchen. His eyes narrowed with distaste when he noticed specks of rainwater dripping onto his clean floor. Only that moron could get utterly drenched and not concern himself over making a mess in someone else's house. Sasuke pressed his lips together in a frown and turned back around, placing the kettle back on its stand and flicking it on before he turned to get him a towel. The idiot wasn't going to get it himself, was he?

Naruto was silent as he passed by him, which was unusual to say the least. Normally, he was loud and obnoxious. Cheerful and mischievous. Occasionally ignorant and constantly stupid. None of those traits were on display at the moment - well, aside from looking stupid, he couldn't fail at that. Sasuke's lips quirked at the thought, resisting a smirk he had enjoyed taunting the blond with ever since he first met him at Ino's birthday party. Well, it was more of a quick celebration than anything else, considering that it was arranged the day previously and the meeting place was a dance club. One they hadn't left for the entire night. This hadn't seemed to bother Naruto though, since through most of the night he held a heap of dance moves in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. What baffled Sasuke, however, was that, when he wasn't showing off his 'Uzumaki Rengan' move to anyone who would watch, he would constantly return to the stool beside Sasuke at the bar.

Naruto and he had only met at the beginning of the night when Sasuke, unfortunately, found himself being dragged around by Ino to introduce him to practically everyone in the tight knot of party animals she'd labelled close friends. He kept his manners and remained polite to each of them, until it was the blundering idiot's turn and he spilt his beer down Sasuke's shirt. That was when Sasuke truly appreciated that he chose _not_ to wear his favourite white shirt that night (he and Ino were just acquaintances, after all), but this didn't stop him from glaring heatedly at the culprit in front of him and saying: "What are you, an idiot?" To which Naruto replied: "It was an accident, you bastard!" Of course, arguments grew from there and, despite his endless insults, so did Naruto's presence.

He pressed gently on the bathroom door and entered, thinking back to the moron sitting at his table, his mind's eye showing him with a forlorn expression and shaded cerulean eyes. The image almost made his hand falter in reaching for the clean white towel hanging from the wall next to him. Worry nipped at the edge of his mind, but he quickly shook away the feeling. What should he care if the idiot was upset? It wasn't like he was his guardian or anything, it's nothing he should shoulder. It was enough that he took him into his home several times a week with naught but a few half-hearted complaints (if he could call them that), and listened to his problems when he talked about them. He wasn't going to start inquiring after them as well.

He snatched the towel from the rack and walked back through the living room and into the kitchen, deliberately silencing his thoughts. "Here." He said, holding the object stiffly in front Naruto's face.

"Thanks." He murmured dully. His hand was near frozen as it brushed over Sasuke's fingers. The brunette felt a pang of concern flit through his stomach. _How long was he in the rain? _He thought to himself, watching Naruto begin rubbing separate locks through the towel in a gentle massage as he eased the water out, still not sparing Sasuke even a glance.

The Uchiha didn't bother to try and resist the urge the second time he felt like rolling his eyes. Naruto wasn't looking at him anyway. He crossed the room and took two mugs from the cup holder, scooping three spoons of sugar into one. The kettle rattled a little on its holder as the water inside bubbled violently, the noise sounding close to thunder as it filled the otherwise silent kitchen. It only began to subside with a short 'click' when Sasuke added chocolate powder to Naruto's cup.

The idiot didn't like coffee. Sasuke had discovered this the first time he'd served it when Naruto followed him home. And since it was the season of chills and rain, nothing but complaints poured from Naruto's mouth when Sasuke could only offer him milk or water. So when Sasuke went to the supermarket that following weekend, he found himself pausing by the many brands of hot chocolate, debating on whether or not to buy some. After some minutes of internal struggle, he cursed himself for acting as stupid as as he often accused Naruto of being, plucked the hot chocolate with the least colourful label from the shelf and threw it into his basket. It was to his dismay when, the following day, Naruto showed up with some newly purchased hot chocolate himself.

He'd immediately resented the plastic-capped jar it resided in.

Stirring the steaming drink until he was satisfied, he tossed the spoon into the sink and turned to place it on the table in front of the silent blond, whose eyes remained fixed on a part of the table that must be more interesting than Sasuke had ever given it credit for. He said nothing as he turned back to the counter and prepared his own drink. Silence, after all, was what he was good at.

"Do you... like my company?"

...Although it was the _last _thing Naruto was good at.

Sasuke turned to contemplate him, finding azure eyes fixed downwards. His question, it seemed, held more emotional depth than Sasuke would usually have to deal with. His first instinct was to say no, but it wouldn't be truthful nor helpful if he said that. He fixed Naruto with a calculating stare, wondering what it was that was troubling him. As easy as he is to read, he made the most difficult person to understand.

"Hn."

Sasuke turned to scoop a single spoonful of sugar into his cup then placed the lid back on the sugar tin. At least with that Naruto could interpret it however he wanted. "Is that what's bugging you?" He asked, trying to appear less than interested while his fingers curled around the handle of the kettle. There was a short silence that was broken only by the sound of pouring water and a slight shuffle from Naruto.

"No."

Of course it wasn't what was wrong, Sasuke knew that already. What he needed to know was what _was_. Sasuke put the kettle down and tipped some milk into his coffee, watching it twist and blend to create a similar colour to Naruto's skin when he turned the spoon about in the mug.

"Sakura..." Sasuke glanced back at him over his shoulder, seeing his eyes were now focused on the surface of his hot chocolate, the contents of which were still swirling. "...Has been annoyed at me lately." He finished, somewhat awkwardly.

Sasuke looked back to his cup, gently placing his spoon on the side. So it was about her? He felt a frown contort his face at the unpleasant feeling curdling his stomach. He had never met her in person, but Naruto had talked about her enough to make him feel he doesn't want to.

"She says I barely see her lately," he continued steadily. "And when I _do _see her, it's like I'm not even there."

Sasuke turned and leaned against the counter, staring down at him. Naruto still avoided his gaze, his only movement was to gradually cup his mug with both hands, wincing as his cold hands came in contact with the steaming mug. There was more than that, Sasuke knew it. So he waited. And waited. Until Naruto finally took a sip of his drink. That was when Sasuke got bored with the silence. To be completely frank, he wanted relationship therapy to be over - it was making him irritable.

"Then spend more time with her. Do something that keeps your attention on her, rather than continuing the pointless journey of attempting to find your brain."

Okay, maybe the insult wasn't going to help, but it was necessary. It wouldn't feel right otherwise, considering he had taken to insulting him from day one.

Naruto remained silent, fingering the handle on his featureless cup with focused interest. Sasuke shifted a little against the counter, feeling slightly unsettled at his lack of response. There was a longer silence before Naruto spoke again.

"What if I said I don't want to?" He said it as a statement. Sasuke took it as a question.

"Then don't." He replied curtly. Short, simple, and to the point. That was the best way of handling this situation. It was the way Sasuke preferred it. The entire thing made him feel uncomfortable.

Naruto started to shuffle about in his chair. Only subtle movements, but noticeable none the less. It seemed Sasuke wasn't the only one feeling unsettled. He watched Naruto carefully, almost with scrutiny, when Naruto opened his mouth to speak again.

"What if-" He stopped short, as if he struggled with what he was going to say. "What if it was because I wanted to spend my time somewhere else?"

Sasuke huffed and crossed his arms, trying to ignore the pleased bubble growing in his stomach. "Then it seems as if you don't like being around her any more, idiot."

Naruto finally lifted his head, azure meeting coal with a sharp jolt in Sasuke's stomach at the intensity of the connection. He straightened his back, blaming it on standing too long, and ignored the sudden urge to look away. For an idiot, he had very complicated - yet alluring - eyes.

"What if it was because I wanted to spend my time with some_one _else?" He didn't shift his eyes, didn't even _blink,_ as he asked his question. The motionless gaze brought a resilient tension to Sasuke's body, one that stopped him from moving altogether. _Where is he going with this? _Sasuke wondered. Somehow, he had the discomforting feeling that wasn't the question Naruto wanted an answer to. Still, he decided to provide him with an reply.

"That's pretty self-explanatory, moron."

Naruto stared at him, long and hard. Being under such scrutiny from someone he thought incapable of such deliberation was enough to unfold his stiff arms and rest his hands atop the counter behind him. Still, Sasuke didn't avert his gaze. If he did, he'd feel as though he was backing down. From what exactly, he didn't know. So instead he stood in silence, waiting for something more than questions. Of course, because he has short-tempered qualities when it came to social situations, he soon found himself growing impatient. Though it wasn't until Naruto broke the connection and looked back down at his drink that he chose to break the stagnant silence.

He put all the weight back onto his feet as he stood from his perch against the counter, exhaling lightly before speaking. "You're soaked, if you don't dry off you'll-"

"I love you, Sasuke."

He stopped short. Naruto was still looking down at his drink in a way that made Sasuke wonder briefly if he'd misheard but, unlike the man seated at his table, he wasn't stupid. Still, his brain seemed a bit put off by thinking at that moment, so he said the only thing that made sense to say. "What?"

Naruto stood - so suddenly that Sasuke was glad his body didn't flinch thanks to his state of shock - and walked to stand but two feet from him, only looking up at Sasuke's face when all was still. Sasuke felt his chest contract with a strange emotion, his heart pounding against his ribs almost as hard as the rain pounded against the ground outside. He didn't know if it was fear or what, but the unfamiliar feeling freaked him out a bit.

"I love you." Naruto repeated. Sasuke drew a sharp intake of breath; so he wasn't mistaken. Naruto...

Naruto _loved_ him.

He drew his ebony gaze over the man in front of him, noticing another droplet of water fall from his hair. Noticing the damp skin, shimmering from the moisture. Noticing his startlingly blue eyes, deep with emotion...

He didn't notice Naruto move closer.

A warmth embraced his lips as Naruto's breath lay over them, gentle and fleeting. There was a movement in the corner of his eye as Naruto's hand lifted to rest on Sasuke's shoulder, the cold seeping through his shirt in a vivid contrast to his heated body. Then a light pressure touched his lips, a pleasant contact, as opposed to the chill emanating from his damp clothing. Sasuke stood stock still, still trying to process his situation when Naruto's grip tightened, his fingers adding an awakening pressure as his lips gradually opened against Sasuke's mouth, soon closing again with hesitant addiction. A content sigh escaped Naruto's nose and brushed against Sasuke's cheek, sparking his nerves alight with hyped sensitivity.

Naruto moved closer; so close that Sasuke could feel the body heat from beneath his still freezing clothes. The movement of his mouth soon increased, forgetting the hesitancy of his actions before as his kiss gradually deepened. A hand threaded into Sasuke's hair to gently guide his head into an angle, a gesture Sasuke found himself obeying, allowing Naruto's touch to land harder. He parted his lips to release a small sigh, only just noticing that, while Naruto's were closed, his own eyes were half-lidded.

His body thrummed from the strange emotions that swirled about inside him, none of which he could easily identify. He allowed his eyes to close completely when he felt Naruto press the length of his body against him. Not harshly, just a closeness that made his stomach tense in an oddly satisfying way. Falling victim to his growing desires, he let himself relax into the touch, breathing lightly through his nose before raising his own hand to rest on Naruto's hip. But before he could even touch him, Naruto shot back, panting, his chest heaving with pent up emotion.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I-I have to go." He stuttered, his eyes avoiding Sasuke completely as he turned and hurriedly left the room.

Sasuke stood with his mind twirling, hearing the front door open and slam shut with considerable force. His body pulsed, shocked at the sudden absence of contact that accompanied Naruto's departure. All that remained was his hot chocolate.

"This young woman is to inherit the Hyuuga's business, what do you think of her?"

Sasuke looked down at the picture his father pushed across the table. She held a sense of attraction about her, with her dark hair contrasting her light eyes. She wasn't anything especially beautiful, but she certainly held a strange uniqueness about her that the others lacked. Not to mention the heirloom to a largely successful business that landed her picture on this table in the first place.

He leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee without taking his eyes off the image. Once again, his father had only arranged to meet so they could discuss wedding preparations. The preparation being which bride to marry rather than what food to serve or suit to wear. Fugaku had been pressuring him to marry for the past three years, and Sasuke wouldn't have put it past him to have arranged his marriage already if Michiko (his mother) wasn't against it without Sasuke's consent.

"Well?" His father prompted. Sasuke looked up at him to see an expectant expression. He sighed and adjusted himself in his seat, unable to find anything to say. Fugaku seemed to take that as a rebuttal and sat back in his own seat with disappointment. "Well you'll have to marry _someone_, you know. Why not someone with a good financial situation and inheritance?"

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes, but out of respect for his father he sat silently instead. There was a clanking nearby as a waitress gathered glasses and dishes from the table across from them. When there was no sign of reply from his son, Fugaku exhaled in a discreetly aggravated way and placed his teacup back on its saucer with an accented clink.

"Sasuke," he began, Sasuke mentally groaned when he recognized the lecturing tone his father switched to. "You're almost twenty-five. That's the same age that your mother had you."

Sasuke trained his eyes on his father. "I know."

"Look," he rubbed his temple, as though Sasuke was giving him a hard time. "You're going to have to marry soon, Sasuke. We're running a family business, Itachi's gone to America to pursue his own dreams-" he scowled deeply at this, "-and I'm starting to age. You need to to take the business seriously, Sasuke."

"I do take it seriously." Sasuke retorted defensively, feeling a little pissed that his father seemed to believe that he wasn't. '_Marriage isn't everything, father.' _He thought to himself, biting his lip to prevent himself from saying it out loud.

"To call it a family business it needs to be run predominantly by the family." He stood, reaching a hand into his briefcase and drawing out a small black file. Sasuke eyed it warily; he doubted it held anything good. Fugaku took the image of the young Hyuuga heiress from the white woollen tablecloth and slid it into the file. '_So it's full of women.' _He couldn't stop the light scowl that shifted across his face. It was fairly full, considering the limitations his father placed on his suitors in the first place. Then again, he seemed to be getting fairly desperate for Sasuke to marry, perhaps he'd broadened the scope a little.

"This has all the available suitors in the area, along with information about them I thought you might like to know." He said. Sasuke noticed, with little enthusiasm, that he reverted to using his business tone. "I want to hear an answer from you soon."

With this said, he placed the file on the table in front of Sasuke, turned on his heel and weaved his way through the scattered circular tables in the small tea shop. Sasuke watched him leave, the small bell above the door giving a chirpy tingle as he exited. With an abundant sigh, he rested his cheek on the knuckles of his hand, staring at the black envelope that was filled with women's' faces.

He was to marry one of them.

He let his eyes slide shut, a refreshing darkness clouding his vision. Ever since Itachi left, it was he who shouldered all the responsibilities their father had to give. Because, instead of working in Japan, he left for America. Taking Shisui, their cousin and Itachi's best friend, with him. Sasuke, who was at first jealous of Itachi's inheritance and attention as the first son, now wanted to throw it all back at him. It wasn't worth the pressure.

_I love you, Sasuke._

His eyes snapped open and he stood, knocking his chair back with a loud scrape and startling a nearby waitress as he dug into his pocket, pulling out a few crisp notes and dropping them on the table by the file. He scowled down at it with disdain, unable to keep Naruto from popping into his head for the umpteenth time in the past two days. In that time, he hadn't heard anything from him. He hadn't even showed up, uninvited, on his doorstep again. Not since... Sasuke slowly ran a finger across his lips.

Not since then.

In a way, Sasuke felt relieved. He'd dealt with things like confessions before, but this... this was different. Not because it was a man confessing, though it was new, he had to admit. But because, after his début to kissing a man in his kitchen on that stormy evening two days ago, he'd found himself dealing with some of the most alien feelings he'd ever experienced. Some he could identify, but wouldn't admit to. Ever. As for the others, well... they contrasted in such a way that he didn't know how he could feel them both at the same time. Sort of like feeling lonely yet complete, or happy but depressed. It bewildered him to no end. The only thing he knew for sure was that the situation he was stuck in only became more awkward with the affectionate feelings Naruto may have inspired inside of him too.

Uzumaki Naruto caused him nothing but trouble.

He glanced down at the file, dark against the white tablecloth, and contemplated it for only a moment before he snatched it up.

There was a repeated trio of quiet thuds as Sasuke drummed his fingers against the wheel, waiting for his garage door to open. The whirring of the mechanics pulling the door up made it sound like quite a difficult feat indeed. With a sigh of impatience, he leant his head back against the seat, making a mental note to order a replacement as soon as he found a new service.

A couple of unhealthy creaks snapped through the air as it managed to raise halfway, struggling to get much further. Sasuke frowned when it practically came to a standstill, not yet high enough for Sasuke to drive inside. He let his arms fall from the wheel and pulled back his handbrake, since it looked like he wasn't going anywhere for a few minutes. With little to pay attention to he soon found himself glancing down at the passenger seat, where the black file sat innocently staring up at him. His brow furrowed for a moment, watching it. His thoughts ran silently, dis-acknowledging his opposition to his fathers wishes as Sasuke picked it up and flicked open the cover.

He was immediately greeted by the picture of the Hyuuga again, gazing across slightly to the left. He stared at her for a minute, the door to his garage clanking as it steadily rose higher in the background. He felt a frown tug at his lips, but he ignored it. He allowed his gaze to drift down the page, reading the titles to each section of writing as he went. There were things listed like hobbies, relatives, interests and, as he turned the following pages, her connections, their potential uses and even estimates of her current and future income.

_'Typical father.' _His lip soon curled with annoyance as he continued flicking through the contents of his file. As it turned out, there were only six women in the entire thing; most of the other pages were bits of information that amounted to the uses and value of the woman they entailed. He scoffed and shook his head, closing it and leaving it in his lap when the garage finally presented to him its empty space. He shifted the handbrake and drove inside impatiently, quickly removing his seatbelt and slamming his door shut as he left the car.

With the file tucked under his arm, he locked his vehicle and left the garage with a groan from the door as it began its lengthy descent. At least with his front door he could open it manually. He shoved the key into its hole and lifted the handle, twisting it and hearing a short click as it unlocked.

"Hey."

Sasuke froze. He turned his head slowly and with a lurch from his stomach, he found Naruto smiling weakly at him. He stared at him for a moment, expression unchanging, still a little shocked at his sudden appearance.

_I love you._

He quickly turned his eyes back to the door, his hand remained still on the cool handle. Knowing he must look a little idiotic in his stunned state, he tried to discreetly shake it off and opened his door, wordlessly leaving it open for Naruto after he stepped inside. The intensified awareness of Naruto's presence made it a little more awkward to remove his shoes than it usually would, though he tried his best to ignore it. Despite his calm and collected demeanour, he was feeling slightly panicked and self aware. Not that he let it show, of course.

He loosened his tie a little and walked through to the kitchen, dropping the file onto the side by the kettle as he flicked it on. He turned when he heard hesitant steps behind him as Naruto entered the kitchen, his expression oddly looking both a little unsure and determined at the same time. It reminded Sasuke of the turmoil of contrasting emotions he'd left raging in Sasuke for the past few days, making him suddenly wonder if that's what love did to people.

His eyes widened and he gave his head a slight shake. '_What the hell? I really have to clear my head.' _He fixed Naruto with a stare, watching him clasp his hands together and look around the room hesitantly. '_There's no way I'd feel that strongly for that moron.'_

He walked past the table and to the doorway that led to the rest of the house. "I'm going to get a shower," he said stiffly, "you can help yourself." And with that he left him on his own, slightly surprised to hear no complaint at the prospect of having to serve himself. He shrugged it off and entered the bathroom, glad he'd left his casual clothes in there that morning before leaving to meet with his father.

He blanked all thought as he stripped off and stood beneath the shower head, welcoming the hot water that poured over him, relaxing his taunt muscles. It wasn't until he massaged shampoo into his hair that he let himself think again, about just what he was going to do with Naruto.

And his father.

He closed his eyes, letting the blackness surround his vision for a moment. Suppose... Suppose he did like Naruto. Just a little. His father would not be impressed with his lack of money. Nor with his lack of manners or etiquette. And definitely not with his lack of a womb and a couple of ovaries. All in all, Naruto was a bonafide vagabond to the Uchihas. He wouldn't even be glanced at.

So why did Sasuke feel so determined to look at him?

He sighed and cracked open his eyes, gazing distantly at the water running clear of shampoo down the drain. For some reason, the thought of casting Naruto aside made his emotions flare with hostility. Why was it Naruto had made such an impact on him? He hadn't even realized that he had until he'd...

Until he'd kissed him.

The simple remembrance of that moment made his stomach flutter. Tensing his abdomen, he turned off the shower and stepped out, taking the towel hanging from the shower door and quickly drying himself down. He wasn't going to say anything. Not about what Naruto said _or _what he did. He grabbed his boxers from the back of the bathroom door and tugged them on, his jeans following soon after. If Naruto decided to bring it up, then Sasuke would deal with it then. There was no point in fretting about it.

He grabbed the towel off the radiator and started scrubbing his hair roughly, feeling a drip land on his back and roll lethargically between his shoulder blades. Despite his shower, he began to feel his muscles tensing again already. He sighed and dropped the towel into the wash basket with his clothes, rubbing briefly at his shoulder before grabbing his black tee-shirt and pulling it on.

There was naught but silence coming from the kitchen, and it made him feel uneasy. This new, quiet Naruto was so... _abnormal_, he didn't think he liked the change all that much. No matter how many times he'd told him he was too loud. He checked his hair in the mirror, noticing it was already spiking up at the back. He ran his fingers back through it to neaten it up a bit before heading back through into the kitchen, finding Naruto seated at the table with his back to him.

"Did you get everything okay?" He asked, walking up to stand beside him. Then his stomach dropped.

Spread over the table was the contents of the black file, from the pictures to their descriptions and suitability. Naruto stared at them silently, motionlessly, and Sasuke had an overwhelming feeling of dread surge through his body.

"Who are these?" Naruto asked, then turned to look up at him. Sasuke resisted the urge to swallow and forced himself to keep eye contact, despite the intensity of Naruto's stare.

"They're my suitors." He replied shortly. He then left Naruto's side to make his coffee, feeling Naruto's gaze burning the back of his neck the entire time.

"What?" He heard Naruto say, his tone much sharper than usual. Sasuke started to reach for the kettle, only then noticing that his coffee had already been made for him, the contents swirling slowly as steam rose from the surface. He blinked, staring at it for a second before encasing it in his hand silently.

"I'm to arrange a marriage with one of them." He said quietly. Nothing but silence greeted his response. Not even a shuffle. Sasuke gripped his coffee and turned, leaning back against the counter. Naruto was staring darkly at the papers spread in front of him, the corners of his mouth tilted downwards in a frown.

"Have you even met any of them?" He asked, his voice shaking with what Sasuke discerned as anger. He watched him calmly for a moment, knowing his reply was bound to stir up the already aggravated blond.

"No."

He brought his cup to his lips and was about to take a short sip, but he stopped when Naruto stood so quickly and suddenly that his chair fell backwards and thudded loudly as it hit the floor, a sound that almost rivalled the slam that reverberated through the table when he slammed his hands down on it. "Are you fucking _kidding _me?" He yelled angrily, fixing Sasuke with a near-hostile stare.

The Uchiha frowned and placed his cup down on the counter top. "There was no need for that." He stated calmly. Naruto growled lowly and marched around the table and right up to him, his eyes blazing furiously.

"I told you how I felt just a couple of days ago!"

Sasuke stared coolly at him. "I know you did."

He was jolted forward when Naruto grabbed his collar and pulled him close, his teeth gritted tightly in his anger. "Doesn't that mean anything to you? Is a commitment just a business deal to you?" He hissed.

Sasuke, despite himself, could feel his own temper rising at the way he was being handled. He forced himself to remain calm and tried to ignore the tight grip Naruto held on his collar, staring into the deep blue that was Naruto's eyes. He was the dignified one.

"I never knew you were so shallow." Naruto spat. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"You barely even _got _to know me, how would you expect to know that?" He demanded. Naruto fumed and yanked on his collar, dragging him even closer.

"I thought I _did_ know you! I came today because I want to _be_ with you!"

Sasuke scoffed mockingly. "And how would an idiot like you know something like that?"

Naruto's nostrils flared. He released Sasuke's collar and swung his fist towards his face, but the Uchiha proved too fast for him. He grabbed Naruto's wrist before it even came close and tugged Naruto forward, bringing his face intimidatingly close.

"No matter _how _much you might want it, I can't be with you." He grated out. Naruto stared at him wide-eyed, his anger apparently tamed. Sasuke kept his tight grip on his wrist, however, untrusting of Naruto's depleting aggression.

"Why?" Naruto asked quietly, his eyes cold as they met with Sasuke's. "Because you find me disgusting?"

Sasuke's brow pushed downwards, wrinkling the skin at the top of the bridge of his nose. '_Disgusting?' _

"Obviously you want to marry someone you haven't even met rather than be with some guy who loves you, am I right?"

Sasuke drew his head back a little, unsure of how to reply. Naruto took advantage of his loosened grip and shook off his hold. "Because no matter how much I feel for you, it'll never be enough, will it Sasuke?" He took a step back and straightened up, his eyes fixed forlornly on Sasuke's face, waiting for a reply.

Sasuke stared at him quietly, his eyes not betraying any of the emotions running rampant through his body, afflicting his mind's ability to think coherently. In one hand he held his _father_, the man who'd brought him up, whose expectations he'd always tried his hardest to meet. He was to inherit his business, carry on the Uchiha line and teach his own children what his father had taught him. He held more respect for his father than he did for anyone else. But...

Sasuke felt his face soften a little, a notion invisible to anyone looking at it, as he took in the man standing before him. The vivid colour of his hair, the depth of his unique eyes...the flamboyant loudness of his personality. He was so extrovert, with character that was practically the complete opposite of Sasuke. This man had just thrown himself into Sasuke's life without any consideration, and somehow blundered in on his personal life so much and so often that when he wasn't there, Sasuke found it...

Empty.

"Heh."

Sasuke blinked and re-focused on Naruto, who looked grimly at him. "I get it. You don't have to say anything." He turned his back on him and walked calmly out of the kitchen without another word. Sasuke took a sharp intake of breath through his mouth, as though he was about to say something, but nothing came out. Naruto vanished from view as he walked down the hall, the only sound was Naruto putting on his shoes and jacket. Almost like the incident two days ago, Sasuke stood stock still in his kitchen, staring at the hot chocolate on the kitchen table. He made no movement, no noise, as he watched the swirling liquid; he barely registered the sound of the door clicking shut.

_You need to take the business seriously, Sasuke._

He closed his eyes, opening them only seconds later. He felt strangely hollow, almost devoid of any emotion, now that he was without company. Naruto was gone. He could give his father's business the attention it needed. He could marry any of those women he chose. He could finally throw out that damn hot chocolate.

_I love you, Sasuke._

The choice he'd been labouring over only moments before no longer existed. He didn't have to struggle; he'd managed to drive Naruto away. And simply by keeping his silence. He wouldn't have to deal with him any more, Naruto wouldn't be barging into his life without invitation... That was it.

That was it.

Sasuke's stomach clenched suddenly, making him feel sick. He moved back against the counter, pressing down on it with his palms to steady himself. His throat constricted, aching, as though something was trying to force it's way out. He brought a hand to his face, feeling a hint of dampness beneath his eye. _'Why am I...?' _Another trickled down his cheek while he forced himself to take deep breaths, attempting to calm himself. His gaze lifted between his fingers and landed on the papers scattered across his kitchen floor. Just looking at them brought a sense of dread into his stomach. He closed his eyes, tensing his stomach in a meek attempt to loosen it while he covered his eyes with his hand.

Then the door opened.

Sasuke's eyes widened, hearing loud footsteps approach through the hall made his stomach jump. He quickly swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and twisted to face the counter.

"I forgot," Naruto's voice sounded cold. Hearing it made Sasuke wince. "I left my book here, where is it?" Sasuke took a quiet, steady breath.

"Coffee table." He said, then realised that his voice was shaken. His eyes widened in horror, ignoring the urge to turn and hoping that, on behalf of his pride, Naruto hadn't noticed. A brief silence followed, presenting to Sasuke Naruto's stillness. He swallowed quietly, his throat still slightly painful, willing him to simply go. After another moment's silence, he heard small steps leave the kitchen and soon after glanced over his shoulder to check before pressing the moisture from his eyes to the back of his hand. He used his other to gently massage his throat, determined to rid himself of the discomfort.

_'It's already done, so get over it.' _He thought forcibly. _'He'll leave and I won't have to deal with this any more.' _He pressed his hands against the counter, fighting against the tingle behind his eyes. Not now. Not while he's still here. He squeezed his eyes shut.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder, making him flinch in surprise, and tugged him around, forcing him to show himself. He was shocked to find himself immersed in blue eyes.

"Were you..." Naruto paused, apparently hesitant. "Were you crying?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. Naruto stared at him, his gaze flicking from his eyes to the streaks still shimmering on his face. Sasuke breathed, forcing air into his lungs as he looked away, taking Naruto's hand from his shoulder. He was about to walk past him when the sharp pressure of Naruto's firm grip above his elbows forced him back between the counter and Naruto's body. He felt his breath catch in his throat when Naruto leaned close; so close, he could see the different shades of his iris' amazing blue. The familiar touch of his heated breath swam across Sasuke's lips, enticing him to close his eyes, but he resisted. Naruto's eyes dropped to Sasuke's lips and he felt his stomach lurch again; this time, out of anticipation. He tried to hate the swelling urge to close the small gap between them, but the idea slowly faded away when Naruto's lips parted, strongly imprinting his warmth against Sasuke's mouth, and he shuddered. Naruto's eyes lifted to his in a meeting so intense, Sasuke could only release a shaky breath, the one sign that his resolve was crumbling. Then Naruto leaned in.

Sasuke tensed, but Naruto didn't seem to notice. If he did, he didn't care. Sasuke flinched with losing resistance when Naruto moved his mouth against his, but when Naruto's hand cupped his face to pull it closer, he felt himself relax into the touch. The kiss wasn't light or gentle like their first. Nor was it unsure or hesitant. Instead, the pressure Naruto inflicted was so firm and confident, Sasuke thought he might melt right there and then. His mouth seemed to work on its own after that as it embraced Naruto's, all thought of resistance disappeared when Naruto grabbed his face with both hands and pressed their lips tightly together. Sasuke twisted his head to the side, kissing him back almost desperately as he wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist, holding him close. He pushed his tongue against Naruto's lips, who accepted him immediately and rolled his hips so harshly against Sasuke's, he couldn't stop the groan that rumbled deep in his throat.

And suddenly... Naruto stopped. Sasuke opened his heavy eyes and stared at him questioningly, his eyes filled with lust. Naruto didn't say anything at first, nor did he release Sasuke's head from his secure hold. Instead he simply stared into Sasuke's eyes, panting almost in unison with Sasuke, as he seemingly searched for something. Sasuke watched him silently. His body was raw with need and emotion, yet strangely it was both calmed and intensified when he met Naruto's azure gaze. He felt his eyes soften slightly.

Naruto gave him a small smile, tracing his cheekbone with his little finger. "You _do _care." He said softly. Sasuke, as though only just realising how forbiddingly intimate this moment was, turned his head to the side, not seeing any point in denying it. Not that he could after that.

_You need to take the business seriously, Sasuke._

He narrowed his eyes.

"Sasuke..."

He looked back at Naruto, slightly surprised at how good it felt to simple look at him now. However, his stomach flipped when he noticed the pleading look in the blond's eyes.

"Stay with me."

Sasuke felt the urge to shiver. Naruto had no idea of just how tempting that sounded. But...there was a lot he didn't know. Naruto's eyes seemed to glimmer as Sasuke contemplated him. Almost begging him to do as Naruto wanted. And _God _did Sasuke know that he wanted it too.

_Bleep. Bleep._

Naruto jumped and glanced down at Sasuke's pocket, where his phone currently resided. He let go of Sasuke and stepped back while he answered.

"_Sasuke."_

He looked up at the voice, finding himself locked in Naruto's gaze. "Hello, father."

"_Have you looked at them yet? I just heard that the Hyuuga is no longer available, she's engaged to some childhood friend of hers. He works in a bar. Her parents aren't happy, something I find completely understandable. I wouldn't stand for it, personally." _Sasuke noticed Naruto's eyes widen and knew he could hear every word his father said. "_Anyway, I'd like for you to tell me now so I can arrange it."_

"Yes, I've seen them." He replied curtly.

"_Have you decided?"_

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who watched him carefully. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Naruto stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away sadly. Sasuke blinked then looked to the floor, the silence awkward.

"_If you're unsure, I'll recommend Temari. She's a year older than you, but she's due to inherit a third of the Suna. A healthy choice if you ask me. Will that do?"_

Will that do? Sasuke closed his eyes. No, it wouldn't. None of them would. He looked up at the blond in front of him, who couldn't seem to meet his gaze. A sharp pang jolted his insides at the forlorn expression he bore. And because of _him._ Only him. Like the effect Naruto had on him. And then, after all this confusion, he finally figured it out; he'd already made his choice. He made it when Naruto kissed him only two days ago and left him with the most frustrating and contrasting emotions he'd ever felt. When Naruto left earlier that day, and Sasuke had lost control for the first time since he was six. When he kissed Naruto again, just now, and watched him smile when he saw in Sasuke what no one else would be able to see. He gave Sasuke both the highs and lows through mere actions. Nothing a woman with a bank filled with money would do.

Sasuke frowned, but couldn't resist the elevation he felt thrum through his body. _'That has to be the sappiest shit I've ever come up with in my entire life. Fucking moron.'_

"_Sasuke?"_

He took a short breath. It was now or never.

"No."

"_Oh, do you have someone else in mind?" _

"I have no intention of marrying any of these women." He said calmly, despite the fact that his mind was racing. He noticed Naruto look up out of the corner of his eye, but ignored him for the moment.

"_What do you mean by that?" _His father asked. Sasuke heard coldness lace his tone warningly, as though he knew what Sasuke was about to say. But he didn't care.

"I'm not marrying any of them, nor any other woman. I have no intention of marrying. At all, father." The longest, most tense silence followed his words. Naruto didn't move, hell, Sasuke didn't think he even drew a breath. And his father was so silent he could heard the muted thrum of the connection between their phones over anything else. Then finally, he spoke.

"_If you're serious Sasuke, you do realise that you're not-" _

"That's fine," Sasuke interrupted, "I assume I'm no longer employed either." He noticed Naruto start in the background.

"_You assume correctly. Goodbye, Sasuke." _And with that, he hung up. Sasuke closed his phone with a sigh. He knew he'd call again, trying to persuade him to return. But he'd deal with that when-

"You lost your job?" Naruto yelled in disbelief. Sasuke looked up at him and shrugged.

"It's fine. I have enough money to-"

"I had _no idea _your dad was making you do this!" He exclaimed loudly. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "What, so he's sacking you now?"

Sasuke nodded. "I'm no longer going to inherit his company."

"Wha- inherit his...?" Naruto sat down heavily on the table. Sasuke frowned; he had chairs, did he not?

"Don't sit on the table."

"I didn't know what you had to give up." Naruto said honestly.

Sasuke sighed, _'Doesn't he hear anything I say_?' "Don't sit on the table, moron." He said, moving forward to pull him off. But before he could take more than a step, Naruto launched himself off the table, making it scrape loudly across the floor before he landed against Sasuke's chest. He frowned when he stumbled back a little, but refrained from saying anything when he noticed the tight grip Naruto held around his midriff.

"I can't believe you practically gave up your life for me." He muttered into Sasuke's shoulder.

_'God, a hopeless romantic too?' _He thought, and placed his hands gently on Naruto's lower back. Perhaps he should've thought this through. "It gives me an opportunity to start my own business." He said.

Naruto drew back and beamed, stroking Sasuke's cheek with his thumb absent-mindedly. "I'm sorry I tried to hit you."

Sasuke sighed, "Naruto-" he began, but cut off as soon as he noticed how close Naruto's face was.

"What?" He asked, his breath rippling across Sasuke's skin. He opened his mouth to reply but, with the idiot so close, he struggled to think of what to say.

"I..."

"'I', what?" Naruto whispered, drawing his hand through Sasuke's hair. Sasuke believed that was the quietest he'd ever witnessed of Naruto and, with the way his body was reacting, he definitely decided it was a lot better than his naturally loud voice.

"I..." He said again, struggling to find his breath when Naruto pressed his body closer. Distantly, he could see Naruto smile. _'Damn it.' _He swooped down to claim Naruto's lips in a brief but breath-taking kiss, holding him close with a lustful grip pressing their groins together.

"I," he said determinedly against Naruto's lips, "think I should show you the bedroom."

Naruto opened his eyes to meet Sasuke's cunning smirk. "Wh-What? Bastard!" He yelled when Sasuke took his hand and practically dragged him through the living room. "I thought you were gonna confess!"

Sasuke smirked. "I did. I confessed that I'd better show you where the bedroom is."

Naruto growled. "Asshole, you know that's not what I-" He stopped short when Sasuke pulled him close, his lips tauntingly near when Naruto noticed they were outside a room he had never entered before.

"Idiot..." He muttered, holding his hips tightly and biting on his ear teasingly. "This is my room."

Naruto hurriedly grabbed the handle.


End file.
